Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 8OSC_Min_100804 3/6/20 1 Minutes - Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee October 8, 2004 Present: Patty Ciesla, Nancy Couperus, Mary Davey, Elaine Nelson, Duffy Price, Roger Spreen, and Susan Welch Regrets: Barbara Mordo, Jean Struthers Guests: Jack Davey Meeting convened at 3:10 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room at Bullis School APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes from the 10 August 2004 meeting were approved without amendment. OLD BUSINESS Conservation Easement Ordinance Roger Spreen spoke with Hope Sullivan, the Planner for the Town of Woodside, who sent a copy of their information packet on conservation easements for landowners. Developing a packet of Council-approved materials about conservation easements to give to landowners is a priority and the Woodside materials will be helpful as a model. The Woodside packet contains the following: 1) Sample conservation easement document 2) Step-by-step guide for Open Space Committee members to conservation easement from initial contact of landowner to filing completed documents. (The Committee is not clear what the step, “Submit proposal”, involves.) 3) General information about conservation easements 4) An article from a business magazine supporting the economics of conservation easements The Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee plans to supplement the Woodside materials with an introduction that tells the landowner about the benefits of creating a conservation easement (i.e., an “invitation to the process”). Roger Spreen also received a copy of the Woodside Hillside Development Regulations. The Woodside regulations create a de facto conservation easement on portions of parcels that have a slope exceeding 35%. The regulations state that the portion of a lot or parcel that has a slope in excess of 35% cannot be altered in any way except in the interest of public safety or for provision of a trail as part of the Town’s trail system. Portions of parcels that have slopes between 12.5% and 34.9% are also subject to regulation. A percentage of these sloped areas must remain unaltered (i.e., in a natural state); the percentage varies from 32.5% to 92.5%, depending on the slope. A similar approach may be appropriate for the Los Altos Hills ordinance; the sliding scale can be objectively applied to lands with a variety of slope configurations. The draft conservation easement ordinance presented by Nancy Couperus at the meeting of 16 July 2004 was sent to past Commissioner Art Lachenbruch for review. The committee is seeking his participation in the effort, particularly because of his expertise on development on slopes. Mr. Lachenbruch has briefly reviewed the document and has requested more time to examine it in detail. OSC_Min_100804 3/6/20 2 Conservation Easement, Lands of Crosier Nancy Couperus, Roger Spreen, and Carl Cahill visited the lands of Crozier-Hogle, took photographs for baseline documentation, and developed a draft conservation easement agreement for the property. The 10.9 acre naturally wooded parcel abuts Stanford Open Space, forms part of the natural view of the native hills from a variety of external viewpoints, contains a variety of indigenous trees and plants, and provides habitat and corridors for native wildlife. The committee reviewed the photos and the draft agreement. Subdivision of the property is not permitted. At the landowners request, mModification of the residence, which was built in 1945 and is of unique design, and other structures will be limited to the current footprint sand roofline heights; a new single-storey structure(s) can be built on the flat, 6,000 square foot tennis court area. Also per landowner's request pPathways and patios are permitted only in their current state and a. All non-landscaped areas (primarily oak woodland) will remain in their natural state; ornamental plantings will be limited to the present, designated gardening areas surrounding the house. The property will remain private without public access. The Crozier-Hogle draft conservation easement agreement has been sent to the Los Altos Hills Town attorney, to a land-use attorney at Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), and to Jason Kibby of Fort Mason Center/Defense of Place for review. The Open Space Committee recommended that the owner, Lois Crozier-Hogle, have the draft agreement reviewedby her own attorney and by her children. The Committee discussed the need for a survey of the Crozier-Hogle property to accurately establish the boundaries at the time the conservation easement is acceptedestablished by the Town. A full survey, which costs about $13,000, is legally binding and provides permanent monument markers at property boundaries. The consensus of the Committee is that the Town should do a full survey at the time any new conservation easement is accepted as part of the baseline documentation for the easement. A motion was made by Elaine Nelson that the Open Space Committee accept the terms of the conservation easement on the Crozier-Hogle property and that a full survey of the parcel be done by the Town of Los Altos Hills to establish legally binding meets and bounds and to provide baseline documentation for future monitoring. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Memorial Bench Cypress Granite and Memorial has informed Nancy Couperus that the bench is now in a crate but has not yet been inscribed. She will continue to follow up on the matter. Adobe Creek Watershed Group Meeting The Adobe Creek Watershed Steering Committee and the agencies involved are continuing negotiations. The next meeting will focus on negotiating a sound wall adjacent to the Edith Avenue ? bridge. Noise fromform the bridge increased when the bridge was redone a few years ago and the owners of the lot adjacent to the bridge have requested a sound wall. Supporters of Westwind Community Barn Supporter of Westwind Barn have started planning for the April 2005 Earth Day Celebration. Elaine Nelson proposed that efforts be made to attract more of the community to the event by soliciting participation from additional organizations. She will approach potential participants through her usual contacts with public relations departments of local businesses (e.g., PG&E might be interested in providing an energy- saving exhibit). It was suggested that the Open Space Committee could help with publicity and costs. OSC_Min_100804 3/6/20 3 Elaine Nelson also proposed that, in addition to the Earth Day celebration, a series of environmental, recreational, and/or educational ? programs be developed and held throughout the year at the Westwind Barn. The programs could be developed and run collaboratively by the Open Space Committee, Parks and Recreation, and the Supporters ofRrecreation, and the Ssupporters of the Westwind Barn. The Open Space Committee could help with ideas for programs (e.g., on native plants and/or restoration), as well as publicity and costs. Habitat Restoration Patty Ciesla contacted Acterra, a local environmental group that runs a native plant nursery near Foothill Park, about propagating a selection of locally native plants to use for revegetation of the erosion area in Byrne preserve. Patty and Peter Neal, the head of the Acterra nursery walked the Preserve, examined the erosion area, and collected seed and willow cuttings. Coffeeberry, blue elderberry, dogwood and snowberry are the primary shrubs that grow in the area. Peter Neal sent a proposal for plant propagation that includes a 20% discount that the nursery offers to public agencies. The restoration of the erosion area will probably take five years or more. The Town estimated the cost for repairing the erosion area at about $300,000; the funds were never authorized. Patty Ciesla recommended that the Open Space Committee approve funds to start propagation of plants for the area and that the Committee initiatess the restoration, which she believes can be done att substantially lower cost with the Committee’s involvement. Willow cuttings could be available for planting later in the fall; the; the number and type of plants available will depend on how well the seeds germinate. During the next year a plan and budget for the restoration can be developed. Some earth-moving work may be required. The need for some earth-moving work and the possibility of coordinating part of the restoration work with local schools were discussed. A motion was made to allocate $3500 of Open Space Committee funds to contract Acterra to grow locally native plants to initiate the restoration of the erosion area in Byrne Preserve. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Byrne Preserve Fire Management Plan A meeting has been scheduled for October 11, 2004 to discuss the environmental damage caused by the goats over-grazing the fuel break in Byrne Preserve this summer and to develop alternate fire protection strategies for the Preserve. An agenda has been circulated. Patty Ciesla, Nancy Couperus, Roger Spreen, and Duffy Price, who is also a member of the Fire Commission, will represent the Open Space Committee. Owners of homes adjacent to the preserve and representatives from the Fire District will also attend. NEW BUSINESS Priorities and Goals of the Open Space Committee Recent activities related to the parking problems a Rhus Ridge were discussed. Complaints continue from residents and from persons who drive along Moody Road who are concerned about the cars parked there. The pros and cons of adding parking spaces inside the Open Space, along Rhus Ridge Road, and/or along Moody Road were discussed. Pros and cons of utilizing parking at Foothill College and/or Hidden Villa were discussed. The committee will continue to work with residents, the Town, and the Pathways Committee to explore solutions to this long- standing problem. OSC_Min_100804 3/6/20 4 The parking problem at Rhus Ridge is a good example of conflicting needs that the Open Space Committee faces in managing Open Space lands. Roger Spreen raised the issue of how the Committeecommittee can best balance theachieve simultaneous goals of (a) protecting Open Space properties, (b) promoting resident support of such properties in their neighborhoods, and (c) theadvocating usage and enjoyment of such properties. GoalsGoal (b) and (c) have come into potential conflict both at Rhus Ridge and Murietta Ridge, specifically related to Pathway issues and neighborhood concern of increased public traffic to nearby Open Space. . need to protect Open Space, to encourage increased use of open space,Open Space, and at the same time to protect the needs of residents who live near-by. nearby. He asked that the Committee consider if it was possible to adopt a general stand on such issues (e.g. favoring preserving open space versus advocating for greater use).residents). The general consensus was that each situation is probably unique and that it may be difficult to assume a general philosophical stance that is applicable to all. The Committee will continue to consider this issue. The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM. Respectively submitted, Susan Welch